Cheap earbuds used to mean tinny sound, a two-hour battery and a case that felt like a candy box. That has changed. Sony now sells true wireless and neckband earbuds for less than a tank of gas, and Apple’s plain wired EarPods still outsell most of the market. We went through the earbuds in our catalog, kept the ones that cost under $50 at the time of writing, and ranked five by battery life, fit and what thousands of owners say after months of use.
We have not worn every pair ourselves, so this list leans on owner ratings and review counts from Amazon. Prices are not printed because they change daily; every button opens the live Amazon page. If you want a full-size pair instead, see our wireless headphones guide.
How we picked
- Under $50 with a real price. Every product had a listed price below $50 when we wrote this. Several popular earbuds were left out because they drift above that line too often.
- Battery you can forget about. The wireless picks run 11 to 25 hours per charge; the wired picks never need one.
- Owner reviews in the thousands. Every pick has at least 4,300 ratings. Nothing in the wireless group reaches 4.4 stars, which is normal at this price, so we say what people complain about.
- A mic and controls. All five take calls and skip tracks without touching your phone.
- No near-duplicates. One true wireless pair, two neckbands and two wired pairs, so there is a pick for each way of listening.
The picks
The WF-C510 is the cheapest true wireless pair Sony makes, and it keeps the features that matter. Eleven hours per charge means you charge the buds, not the case, most days, and a five-minute top-up gets you through a commute. Multipoint is rare under $50: you can leave the buds connected to a laptop for a meeting and still answer the phone. There is no noise cancelling, only an Ambient Sound mode that does the opposite, so this is a pair for the office and the gym rather than a flight. Owners give it 4.2 stars across 4,300 ratings, and the main complaints are about ear tip fit, so try all three tip sizes in the box.
- Small, light buds that owners wear for a full workday
- 11 hours per charge is more than most earbuds at twice the price
- Multipoint pairs a laptop and a phone at the same time
- Ambient Sound mode lets street noise through when you want it
- No active noise cancelling
- Case is plastic and charges by cable only
- Owners rate it 4.2 stars, with some reports of fit issues in small ears
The WI-C100 lasts 25 hours on a charge, which is why it has more owner ratings than anything else here. It is a neckband: a thin cable joins the two buds, so they cannot fall out on a run and you never open a charging case. DSEE upscaling is Sony’s trick for making streamed music sound less flat, and the IPX4 rating covers gym sweat and light rain. It is not a fancy product, but if you want wireless for the least money, with a mic for calls and a battery you check once a week, this is the safe buy.
- 25-hour battery, the longest on this page
- Nothing to lose: the buds hang around your neck when you take them out
- IPX4 rating shrugs off sweat and rain
- More than 14,000 owner ratings at 4.1 stars
- Neckband cable is not for everyone
- Light plastic build feels cheap in hand
- Sound is fine, not exciting
Sony’s XB line stands for Extra Bass, and the WI-XB400 delivers it with 12 mm drivers, twice the size of the WF-C510’s. If you listen to hip-hop, EDM or anything with a kick drum, this is the pair. The trade is battery: 15 hours instead of 25, though a ten-minute charge over USB-C buys an hour. Owners give it 4.0 stars across 4,600 ratings; the praise is for bass and comfort, the complaints are about the plastic band and a bud that occasionally stops charging. Buy it for the sound, not the build.
- 12 mm drivers and Sony's Extra Bass tuning for hip-hop and EDM
- USB-C charging, unlike most cheap neckbands
- Ten-minute quick charge covers an hour
- Flat cable and magnetic buds resist tangles
- 15-hour battery is shorter than the WI-C100
- Bass-heavy tuning is not for podcasts or classical
- Owner rating of 4.0 is the lowest on this list
Apple EarPods Headphones, Wired Ear Buds with Built-in Remote to Control Music, Phone Calls, and Volume
Yes, the wired EarPods. Apple still sells them because they work: plug in, no pairing, no battery, and a remote that handles volume, tracks and calls. Owners rate them 4.5 stars across 17,000 reviews, higher than any wireless pair on this page. The open, tipless fit is either the most comfortable earbud you own or one that falls out, depending on your ear shape, and it lets in outside noise. Apple sells EarPods with three different plugs, so confirm the listing shows the plug your device has before you order.
- 4.5 stars from more than 17,000 owners, the best rating here
- Nothing to charge, nothing to pair, nothing to lose in a case
- Remote and mic work with Siri and phone calls
- Open fit is comfortable for hours and lets you hear the room
- No seal means no isolation on a bus or plane
- One size only, and some ears cannot hold them
- Check the plug type in the listing before you buy
Sony Deep Bass Wired Earphones with Smartphone Control and Mic - Metallic Black
If your phone still has a headphone jack, or you use a USB-C adapter, this Sony wired pair is the bass-heavy counterpart to the EarPods. The silicone tips seal the ear canal, so you get real isolation on a train and a low end that the open EarPods cannot produce. Owners rate it 4.3 stars across 14,600 ratings and often mention buying a second pair after years with the first. The single-button remote only plays, pauses and answers calls; volume is on your phone. A small carry case is in the box.
- Sealed silicone tips block far more noise than EarPods
- Deep bass tuning from 9 mm neodymium drivers
- Works with any phone, laptop or console that has a headphone jack
- 4.3 stars from more than 14,000 owners
- Single-button remote, no volume control
- Cable can carry noise when it rubs on clothing
- Useless on phones without a headphone jack unless you add an adapter
Compare the picks
| Product | Type | Battery | Mic and controls | Owner rating | Our score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WF-C510Sony | True wireless | 11 h + 22 h case | Buttons, multipoint | 4.2 / 4k+ | 8.4 | See price |
| Sony WI-C100Sony | Neckband | 25 h | Inline buttons | 4.1 / 14k+ | 8.2 | See price |
| Sony WI-XB400Sony | Neckband | 15 h, USB-C | Inline buttons | 4.0 / 4k+ | 8.0 | See price |
| Apple EarPodsApple | Wired, open | None needed | Volume, play, calls | 4.5 / 17k+ | 8.8 | See price |
| Sony Deep Bass WiredSony | Wired, sealed | None needed | One button, mic | 4.3 / 14k+ | 8.6 | See price |
True wireless or neckband?
True wireless buds like the WF-C510 have no cable at all, which is great until one falls out of a pocket. A neckband like the WI-C100 or WI-XB400 keeps both buds on a cord around your neck, lasts longer per charge because the battery lives in the band, and costs less. For the gym, a run or a long shift, the neckband is the practical choice. For the office and video calls, true wireless is nicer.
What you give up under $50
Active noise cancelling, wireless charging cases and app-based EQ mostly start above this bracket. What you get instead is battery life and a low enough price that losing a bud is not a disaster. If noise cancelling matters for flights or an open office, spend more, or see our headsets for work calls guide for pairs with proper mics.
Do these work with both iPhone and Android?
The three Sony wireless picks pair with any Bluetooth phone, tablet or laptop. The wired Sony pair works with any 3.5 mm jack. Apple EarPods come in more than one plug type, so match the listing to your device.
Can I return earbuds on Amazon if they do not fit?
Amazon usually accepts returns on earbuds within 30 days, but policies vary by seller and opened hygiene items can be an exception. Check the return window on the product page before you buy.
Which pick is best for running?
The Sony WI-C100 is IPX4 rated for sweat and its neckband keeps the buds from falling out. The WF-C510 works too, but a lost bud is an expensive mistake on a trail.
Do the cases charge over USB-C?
The WI-XB400 charges over USB-C. For the WF-C510 and WI-C100, confirm the cable type in the listing, since older Sony budget models used micro-USB.
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